Veteran three-dimensional portraits

Spatial Imaging has produced a series of three-dimensional portraits of Henry Allingham who, at 110, is the oldest surviving British World War I veteran.

Using a novel camera system that incorporates precision motion components supplied by Anorad, Spatial Imaging has produced a series of three-dimensional portraits of Henry Allingham who, at 110, is the oldest surviving British World War I veteran.

The three dimensional images of Henry Allingham were captured with Spatial Imaging's unique VIP (Video Images with Parallax) system, which features one of the world's highest resolution digital cameras.

The camera is mounted on an Anorad rotary motion stage, allowing it to rotate about its vertical axis.

The rotary stage is, in turn, mounted on a two-metre long linear motion rail, also supplied by Anorad.

During image capture, the camera moves in discrete steps along this rail, capturing a single image at each step.

As this linear movement progresses, the rotary stage operates in synchronism so that the camera lens remains accurately aligned on the same point in the subject plane.

The VIP system allowed a series of up to 200 discrete images of Henry Allingham to be captured in just eight seconds.

Since each of the images is taken from a slightly different viewpoint, the series of images contains depth information which allows them to be combined to produce the final three-dimensional portrait.

The success of the three-dimensional process, and the quality of the final results, depends crucially on the accuracy of the motion control elements.

High operating speeds are also desirable so that the period for which the subject must remain motionless is as short as possible.

To meet these requirements, Spatial Imaging drew extensively on Anorad's expertise in implementing customised precision motion systems.

The linear motion stage, believed to be the largest of its type commercially available anywhere in the world, features re-circulating bearings for low friction and smooth motion.

It is driven by an Anorad WRL-series linear motor which is capable of acceleration up to 60m/s2 and which has a positional accuracy of +/-0.6um at operating speeds up to 4m/s.

A non-contact optical position feedback system is incorporated.

The rotary stage is Anorad's RDR-160 which uses a direct-drive servomotor to achieve outstanding dynamic performance.

It features zero backlash and minimal torque variation, combined with an accuracy of 15 arc seconds.

Overall control is provided by a D-SERV digital control system, which also handles the electronic gearing that interlocks the motions of the linear and rotary stages.

Henry Allingham's VIP portrait session was conducted by Spatial Imaging's founder, Rob Munday, who also used the session to capture holographic images with a pulsed ruby laser system.

The end result of the work carried out with the VIP system was a life-size full colour three-dimensional lenticular portrait made by Spatial Imaging's Jeffrey Robb from the captured image sequence.

This, together with a holographic portrait, was unveiled by HRH The Duchess of Gloucester GVCO at the opening of an exhibition to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of Jutland, in which Henry Allingham was a participant.

Back to top